Vinegar, you say? That sharp, bitter liquid that everyone has but never seems to use? Well, not that type of vinegar, but a vinegar nonetheless. Apple Cider Vinegar is what we should all have instead of the one described before, and here 5 reasons why.

1. High in Acetic Acid

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made in the similar two-step process that is used to make alcohol, where the crushed apple (cider) is exposed to yeast, in order to ferment the sugars, converting them to alcohol. From there, bacteria are then added to the solution, which converts the alcohol to acetic acid, which is the active compound in vinegar (that’s why we don’t get drunk on vinegar).

Furthermore, ‘The Mother’ is added to organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, which are strands of proteins, enzymes, and bacteria, to enhance the health benefits of ACV. Acetic acid possibly assists with controlling blood pressure and fat storage, however, the study out of Japan is unnamed and more research is needed to come to a conclusive decision, but empirical evidence does support these claims. Furthermore, there have been visible improvements with regards to blood sugar levels in the presence of acetic acid.

2. Assists with weight loss

ACV doesn’t actively help you to lose weight, in that it doesn’t have any active fat burning ingredients, but what it does do, is increase your satiety. What this means, is that ACV leaves you feeling fuller, thus you consume fewer calories. Simple calorie in vs. calorie out, as you are expending more calories than you are consuming, therefore, your body will be forced to use alternative fuel sources, such as fat storage.

A 3-month long study observing 175 people suffering from obesity, showed that consuming ACV daily led to the following:

• 15 ml: 1.2 kilogrammes in belly fat reduction

• 30 ml: 1.7 kilogrammes in belly fat reduction

This means that over 3 months, ACV alone accounted for over a kilogramme of belly fat reduction. Combining ACV with a vigorous training and eating plan would, theoretically, lead to an increase in belly fat reduction. Therefore, ACV contributes to weight loss by increasing satiety and regulating blood sugar levels.

3. Lowers blood sugar levels

ACV’s biggest shining light is when it comes to Type 2 diabetes, or Adult-Onset Diabetes, which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. However, there are also those that suffer from high blood glucose levels that do not suffer from diabetes.

If you are already on medication to lower your blood sugar, be sure to chat with your doctor before you reduce it further.

4. May kill harmful bacteria

Bacteria is a fascinating micro-organism, with some being harmful, some beneficial, and others just hanging around. Back when Hippocrates was still around, vinegar was used as a disinfectant for wound cleaning.
Furthermore, vinegar is one of the primary agents in brining fluid, used to preserve food items, as it inhibits bacteria from growing. ACV is a great way to naturally preserve certain food items, but we wouldn’t recommend you substitute ACV in place of Detol.

5. Bolsters heart health

At the moment, heart disease is the leading cause of pre-mature deaths the world over. Heart disease has been linked to a multitude of daily influences, such as stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. There are genetic factors as well, but these are often treated well enough through medication. However, ACV has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Unfortunately, the study was unnamed and performed on animals, as well as neglecting to mention whether HDL or LDL cholesterol levels were affected.

In saying this, there was an observational study performed at Harvard, performed in May 1999, which looked at the dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid and heart disease in women, which summarised that women who ate salad dressings with a vinegar-base have a lower risk of heart disease.

In essence

There may be no scientific studies at this point to confirm the claims made by ACV, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t help. ACV has been anecdotally shown to improve heart health, kill unwanted bacteria, increase good bacteria, regulate and lower blood sugar levels, and assist with the control of blood pressure.

All of these are major contributors to the risk of heart disease, and by lowering these factors, you lower the risk of running into heart failure. This is not to say that ACV is a replacement for heart medication, but it does assist in your everyday life.